Combatting Oxidative Stress from Within

Combatting oxidative stress from within is a much smarter approach than trying to minimize our exposure. Sure – let’s try to do that as well. However, OS is internally produced and attacks us from our environment. There are many exposures to oxidative stressors that are out of our control.

How many times have you said, or heard someone else say:

“ Uncle Tom smoked a pack a day, was never sick a day and lived to be 90”.

The body is a very complex system of chemical reactions. Those chemical reactions are dictated by both genetics & epigenetics. When we talk about living a healthy lifestyle – we need to look beyond the superficialities, and understand how our choices are impacting our DNA – definitely not always as we hope.

Oxidative stress (OS) is a fact of life. I have made it my mission in my personal life and corporate life to enlighten people about the dangers and realities of oxidative stress. Workplace health programs center around eating right, exercise, sleep – all of those are obviously critical. However, my mantra – our cell being – we have to dig deeper and investigate what epigenetic influences are sabotaging our best efforts. Illness happens because our cells have been manipulated.

Think of OS as the mortal kryptonite. OS comes from within our bodies, as it is a natural by-product of our energy production in the mitochondria of our cells. And, it is also an unfortunate by product from our environment, exposures & the thousands of choices we make on a daily basis, such as:

toxins …..abundant in all of the chemicals in our world

pollution

poor food choices

smoking (1st, 2nd, 3rd hand smoke)

drinking alcohol

exposure to radiation

constant mental stress and high cortisol production

many many more…

OS can lead to chronic inflammation. It is at the root of all of our chronic illnesses including cancers, heart disease, depression, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, neuro-degenerative disorders, macular degeneration, diabetes….you name it.

Our redox state is the balance within between OS & antioxidants. The reason we are told to “eat a rainbow” of colored fruits and vegetables is for the antioxidants (and many other healthy reasons!) to counteract the free radicals created by OS. An imbalance in our redox state – high levels of oxidative stress- alter and impair the functioning of proteins, enzymes & our DNA. Here I am discussing two ways to help control OS.

Methylate!

DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism adding a methyl (CH3) group to DNA, modifying the function of the genes and affecting gene expression. DNA methylation often inhibits the expression of certain genes, in a good way.For example, methylationmight stop a tumor-causing gene from “turning on,” thereby preventing a cancer formation. Research shows us DNA methylation slows down as we age. Research is looking into learning to analyze our own methylation abilities. As a result, genes that were once repressed by methylated DNA start to become active, possibly allowing the development of avariety of diseases. Research is looking into learning to analyze our own methylation abilities. What we can do to reduce demethylation?

We know methylation is slowed by alcohol. Alcohol is NOT our friend. A glass of wine a day does NOT support heart health. Those studies have been ripped apart many times. I think we all know better, heart smart habits than alcohol. The very first glass of alcohol causes inflammation in the body – and yes it will in some people more than others.

We know certain nutrients in our diet are supportive of methylation including folate, B12 (decreases with age) B6 & choline.- Take a look at this list. How many of those foods are written off because people perceive them as “unhealthy” ? Beef, eggs, bananas, fish, dairy chicken, potatoes…so as always – I beg people to really think if they are eating a complete diet, really supporting their health vs. following a fad, making sweeping generalizations.

Combatting Oxidative Stress with NRF2 Pathway:

Complicated – but simply, our inner NRF2 pathway triggers our antioxidative genes. It is completely accepted the NRF2 pathway lowers oxidative stress, however, it also dramatically decreases with age. The NRF2 powers provide a million times the antioxidative power. There are hundreds of studies, peer reviewed studies that prove the incredible power of activating our NRF2 pathway. The truth is – there really is only one way to activate the NRF2 pathway – and that is with the natural supplements that have been studied, proven and accepted by our respected medical institutions.

Our cells are forced to confront the daily cacophony of life, from oxidative stress. We have the ability to orchestrate the musicians, our cells, into the symphony of life. Contact me to lower oxidative stress by up to 40% in the first month. My Bonus for the corporate world – free educational webinars on understanding oxidative stress and inflammation – and really managing and preventing disease. email me for details.

Why are we not controlling chronic illness? We must control the wildfire of inflammation and lower oxidative stress. We know oxidative stress is at the root of chronic illness such as cancer, heart disease, depression, arthritis, stroke, diabetes. Inflammation ages us and leaves us susceptible to disease….We take a flu shot to prevent the flu – one simple supplement to lower your oxidative stress by as much as 40%. 7 patents, 24 peer reviewed studies on pubmed, accolades from American Heart Association, Mayo Clinic, National Institute on Aging….Washington State: “may well become the most extraordinary therapeutic and most extraordinary preventative breakthrough in the history of medicine.”

There is an estimated 750 Billion dollars in U.S. health care waste every year. Our many technologies assure you are not contributing to that $750 billion. Health technology serving the continuum from prevention through chronic illness management.

Is called “a silent killer” because most people are unaware of the threat—even a large percentage of those who have CKD!?

What do our kidneys do?

The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a computer mouse, located on the back side of the torso just inside the lower ribs. They are just as important to human survival as the heart or lungs. Without at least one functioning kidney, you’re dead. That’s because the kidneys:

Maintain a normal gastrointestinal biome, a balance of the trillions of bacteria living in our colon that are responsible for a strong immune system

Surviving Kidney Disease with Dr. Michael Fisher

Dr. Michael Fisher, co-founder of Santa Barbara Artificial Kidney Center and co- medical director of Acute Dialysis at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital, has been treating patients with kidney disease since 1973. Alarmed by the increase in CKD, he has written a book to explain the causes, consequences, treatment options, and prevention strategies for surviving kidney disease. He also shares inspiring stories of patients who have successfully battled it. Dr. Fisher prioritizes yoga as well as other forms of physical activity in his own life.

I give Dr. Fisher’s book a 10 for informative information on treatment and prevention of chronic kidney disease and a 10+ as a chicken soup book on over – powering disease with heart, gumption and determination.

We discuss with Dr. Fisher:

The many functions of the kidneys

obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes

diagnosing kidney disease

dialysis

why transplantation is an excellent option to treat CKD – and the many advancements in kidney transplants

Why are we not controlling chronic illness? We must control the wildfire of inflammation and lower oxidative stress. We know oxidative stress is at the root of chronic illness such as cancer, heart disease, depression….We take a flu shot to prevent the flu – one simple supplement to lower your oxidative stress by as much as 40%. 7 patents, 24 peer reviewed studies on pubmed, accolades from American Heart Association, Mayo Clinic, National Institute on Aging….Washington State: “may well become the most extraordinary therapeutic and most extraordinary preventative breakthrough in the history of medicine.”

There is an estimated 750 Billion dollars in U.S. health care waste every year. Our many technologies assure you are not contributing to that $750 billion. Health technology serving the continuum from prevention through chronic illness management.

Healthy Sleep is by far the most neglected aspect of our health. Health is the most undeniable aspect of employee performance.

Now Health Technology to measure, monitor & to improve sleep for increased productivity, workplace safety and public safety

45% of Americans and Canadians report sleep problems. If we are not practicing good sleep hygiene we are jeopardizing our health and workplace productivity. From a corporate perspective, sleep deprivation in our workforce is a dangerous liability to workplace safety, is guaranteed to increase healthcare costs, and will negate all other employee engagement and performance efforts.

💤April 2017 Benefits Canada’s Calgary Benefits Summit:💤

As plan sponsors, we should be very concerned, sleep has direct consequences for the workplace, particularly in terms of safety, productivity and group benefits costs. Sleep is not a luxury. It’s a necessity, as vital as eating, drinking and exercise, sleep disorders exert a negative impact on people’s health and, if untreated, can lead to chronic illnesses such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease, depression and obesity……It’s in our best interests to take a structured approach, including both prevention and intervention measures, to help employees sleep better………It’s clear that cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia is the best way to treat the condition in adults….This is a huge paradigm shift, doctors now recommend that patients enrol in a behavioural change program for sleep before taking medications.

According to Harvard Medical School, for people with hypertension, one night without enough sleep can cause elevated blood pressure all through the next day.

According to a British study, those who had cut their sleep from seven to five hours or fewer a night doubled their risk of death from all causes, particularly from cardiovascular disease.

Sleep is regulated by two body systems:

sleep/wake homeostasis

Our biological circadian clock

Sleep/wake Homeostasis: Alerts us that a need for sleep is accumulating and that it is time to sleep. It also helps us maintain enough sleep throughout the night to make up for the hours of being awake. With every waking hour there is a strengthening of the homeostatic sleep drive. Researchers believe this is a product of the demands of brain activity during wakefulness.

Circadian biological clocks: regulate the timing of periods of sleepiness and wakefulness throughout the day. The circadian rhythm dips and rises at different times of the day. For most, the strongest sleep drive occurs between 2:00-4:00 am and in the afternoon between 1:00-3:00 pm, although there is variation depending on if a person is more of a “morning person” or “evening person.” We experience sleepiness during these circadian dips, but with sufficient sleep, the degree of sleepiness will be less intense.

Most people are unaware that their sleep is not a health sleep. Companies must take preventive measures to address the sleep health of their employees to increase productivity and engagement, reduce healthcare costs, and assure workplace safety. We need to proactively measure the quality sleep of our employees, and provide monitoring and feedback for those employees with sleep dysfunction. Healthy sleep is an investment in employee health and productivity as well as the company’s bottom line.

Assuring employees attain a healthy sleep is also a vital aspect of corporate responsibility. For many companies – such as construction, trucking, health care providers…

At Best in Corporate Health, we have a dedication to providing implementation & measurements for success for all of our corporate health programs. We have proudly introduced into our health risk assessments and coaching programs complete sleep analyses. We have teamed up with the leader in providing employees a health sleep. They have changed the way sleep healthcare is delivered utilizing multifaceted solutions.

** Employee Engagement vs. Talent Engagement:

With the advent of a new economy and workforce composition, we now have a talent market. Companies are surrounded by a cloud of talent, coming from multiple sources: Temp workers, freelancers, contract workers, suppliers, … All of these talent resources need to be engaged to help organizations to reach their objectives.

Population Health Management – Effectively Using Healthcare IT

I have read more garbled definitions for population health management- so let’s try and simplify, and then apply to our own company’s scenarios.

Electronic patient records, electronic health records (EHR) were huge when they started – that really started the cascade of what we now refer to as population health management. The options keep growing exponentially.

Most typical definition: Population Health Management is the aggregation of patient data across multiple health information technology resources, the analysis of that data into a single, actionable patient record, and the actions through which care providers can improve both clinical and financial outcomes. In other words, we want to maximize the health of the employee by collecting and analyzing data by different providers in the most cost effective way possible. This by definition will improve the ROI.

Now – let’s break it down and understand what we as corporations can prosper from here.

Keeping our employees happy and healthy is the soundest asset investment we can support.

We should be expanding population health management to far more than chronic disease management, we equally must encourage proactive health care. The potential ability of a provider to effectively manage the healthcare needs of a defined group across a range of healthcare services either through direct provision of care or through structured relationships with other providers will benefit both the employee and the company. Providers have strived for decades to turn our system from a “sick care” model to a truly “health care” model. An effective population health management system can transform healthcare from reactive and transactional to proactive and ongoing.

However, we must be able to provide the strictest of confidentiality to the employee, otherwise, the population health management model will fail. The threat of a data breach will undermine all of our best efforts of implementation. Mobile health (cell phone apps, fitbits….), telemedicine ( insulin pumps & other monitors that health care technicians can review remotely) and other health IT incentive programs – these technologies must be carefully used and monitored assuring cybersecurity. With all that said – as a corporate health provider for many years, I very strongly believe on these health IT incentives and monitors – they strongly enable participant adherence and success.

Its easy to get wrapped up and let in the maze of gadgets and health IT. Remember quality of care, in terms of proactive support and chronic disease management is the outcome that matters, in terms of health and ROI.

Not just lifestyle….Employee Risk assessments, Programs directed to illness prevention based on those risks, chronic disease management

We still need providers to interpret data, make health assessments and recommendations. This might be very obvious for chronic disease management, but is frequently overlooked and minimized on the proactive health care side of health management. A good wellness provider can identify risks that needs to be pursued by a physician, catching potentially life threatening illnesses at a much earlier stage. Health Risk Assessment.

Wellness Programs that Save Companies Money….Actually..

Harvard Business Review: Employee wellness programs were examined to see if they really cut employer costs. They concluded yes – however, the answer is not simple lifestyle programs; it’s programs that prevent at-risk employees from becoming ill and help chronically ill employees stabilize their conditions.

According to the CDC, currently the vast majority of people are at risk for disease. “At risk” conditions are also reducing workplace productivity and engagement**.

A recent Rand study, “Do Workplace Wellness Programs Save Employers Money?”Examined 10 years of data from a Fortune 100 employer’s wellness program. When compared against the lifestyle-management component, disease management delivered 86% of the hard healthcare cost savings, generating $136 in savings per member, per month and a 30% reduction in hospital admissions.

Population health management with healthcare IT provide health specialists valuable tools for assessment, determination of health risks which saves lives and costs to all. Properly constructed, it can provide the employee the confidentiality they seek, and employers the tools to provide true healthcare to support their most valuable asset – their people.

** Employee Engagement vs. Talent Engagement:

With the advent of a new economy and workforce composition, we now have a talent market. Companies are surrounded by a cloud of talent, coming from multiple sources: Temp workers, freelancers, contract workers, suppliers, … All of these talent resources need to be engaged to help organizations to reach their objectives.

Shira@BestInCorporateHealth.com

We look forward to customizing your employee wellness programs!

The supplement like a flu shot against oxidative stress…..

Why are we not controlling chronic illness? We must control the wildfire of inflammation and lower oxidative stress. We know oxidative stress is at the root of chronic illness such as cancer, heart disease, depression, arthritis, stroke, diabetes. Inflammation ages us and leaves us susceptible to disease….We take a flu shot to prevent the flu – one simple supplement to lower your oxidative stress by as much as 40%. 7 patents, 24 peer reviewed studies on pubmed, accolades from American Heart Association, Mayo Clinic, National Institute on Aging….Washington State: “may well become the most extraordinary therapeutic and most extraordinary preventative breakthrough in the history of medicine.”